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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 97-11-13Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCYThessaloniki, November 13, 1997TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] HALBROOKE TO MEET WITH PAPANDREOU AND KRANIDIOTISBrussels 13 November (MPA)US presidential envoy Richard Halbrooke will meet with Greek deputy Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou and Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis in Brussels today. They are expected to discuss the developments in the Cyprus issue after the contacts Mr.Halbrooke had in Nicosia, Ankara and Bonn.This evening, Mr.Halbrooke will be present in the meeting of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot businessmen in Brussels. The two-day symposium aims at the development of economic cooperation for the mutual benefit of both parties and will be held at the initiative of Columbia University in cooperation with the Norwegian Institute for Peace-keeping Research. [02] THE US STATE DEPARTMENT COMMENTED ON HALBROOKE’S CONTACTSWashington 13 November (MPA)The US State Department spokesman characterized as “sincere” the contacts Richard Halbrooke had in Nicosia and Ankara.During the reporters’ briefing, Mr.James Rubin revealed that the US presidential envoy said to him that the talks he had with Cypriot president Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Denktash in Cyprus as well as, the talks with Turkish prime minister Mesut Yilmaz and deputy prime minister Bulent Ecevit in Ankara, were sincere and took place in a very positive atmosphere. The US State Department spokesman said that the goal of Mr.Halbrooke was to keep the process going and to create opportunities for progress. [03] “KAPODISTRIAS” WAS PASSED IN PARLIAMENTAthens 13 November (MPA)The draft bill “Kapodistrias”, concerning the compulsory mergers of municipalities and communities, was voted through in Parliament and is now a law of the Greek state.Last night, the bill that had been submitted by the government, was voted through in Parliament in spite of the reactions by opposition parties and organizations. It should be reminded that the main opposition party of New Democracy had left Parliament in protest after a decision made by its leader Kostas Karamanlis. [04] FIVE LITHUANIAN SAILORS ARE MISSINGAthens 13 November (MPA)Five Lithuanian sailors, crew members of the motor- ship “Don Ricardo”, are missing since yesterday. Their ship, registered in Hamburg, sank in the sea region between the islands of Kea and Makronisos in central Aegean after it collided with the Syrian cargo ship “Mohendi”.The accident happened because of the limited visibility in the region due to thick fog. Rescue crews continue their search for the location of the missing sailors. [05] 62 KURDISH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE ARRESTED IN MITILINIMitilini 13 November (MPA)Sixty two Kurdish illegal immigrants were arrested last night by the Greek Coastguard in the region of Agralia in the island of Mitilini in north-eastern Aegean, shortly after they were put ashore.The Turkish smugglers, who brought the 62 illegal immigrants to the island, escaped the arrest. [06] EXTRAORDINARY EU SUMMIT ON UNEMPLOYMENTLuxembourg 13 November (MPA)An extraordinary EU Summit to discuss the problem of unemployment in the 15 EU member-states will be held in Luxembourg on November 21-22.European Commission President Jacques Santer in a press conference briefed reporters on the Summit’s agenda and the prospects that are being opened in the solution of the problem of unemployment. Mr.Santer stated that in the Summit meeting the EU leaders should take specific and ambitious measures aimed at fighting unemployment. He also said that the European Commission has suggested 19 measures and recommendations which if implemented will lead in a short period of time to the creation of 12 million new job positions, limiting unemployment to 7% of the active population in Europe, from 12% it is today. [07] THE TURKISH CYPRIOT REPRESENTATION IN THE EU TALKS IS NOT CERTAINNicosia 13 November (MPA)Cypriot Foreign Minister Yiannakis Kasoulides expressed reservations on whether the Turkish Cypriots will be represented in the opening of the negotiations for Cyprus’ accession into the European Union that will take place in April.In statements he made to the Cypriot radio, Mr.Kasoulides said that he sees as most likely development the opening of the accession talks without the participation of the Turkish Cypriots pointing out, nevertheless, that he can not rule out their participation if the right pre-conditions exist. Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash reiterated that there are allegedly “two states” in Cyprus and maintained that peace will be founded only on that basis. According to the Turkish Cypriot press, Mr. Denktash, stressed, in statements he made, that the Turkish Cypriots will discuss the EU accession only on that basis. [08] THE CYPRIOT PRESIDENT MET WITH A FORMER US COORDINATORNicosia 13 November (MPA)The responsibility to determine the priorities of the US policy regarding Cyprus belongs to US presidential envoy Richard Halbrooke, stated former special coordinator for Cyprus in the US State Department Eduard Derwinski after the meeting he had with Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides in Nicosia.Mr.Derwinski characterized Mr.Halbrooke’s visit as “educational” and mentioned that its goal was for the US official to be briefed in person by president Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash. Referring to Mr.Halbrooke’s apology on the US policy in Cyprus in the 60’s and 70’s, Mr.Derwisnki said that possibly Mr.Halbrooke was trying to say that the US has a responsibility to help in the solution of the Cyprus problem because he believes that the US did not fulfill its obligations during that time. Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |